Win-Win Situations
by Night Kaida
Summary: "Find someone... for her?" I repeated dumbly as the sheer brilliance of the barmaid's words sunk in. She nodded. "If Lucy was to get a boyfriend, then there'd be no chance of her and Gray getting together!" NaLu Gruvia (a little LoLu and GaLe)
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

**Juvia POV**

"Damn her... Damn that Lucy!" I slammed my glass down on the table; its contents splashing out of the cup and onto the new wooden bar of the guild. I think I startled Mirajane a little, but right now, I couldn't care less. I glared at the cup of water I was holding as if it was the source of all my problems. As if scowling at the object would make it disappear, along with all my problems including a certain blonde female.

"Juvia..." The barmaid's gentle voice, although usually unexplainably soothing to any who heard it, did little to calm me down. I willed her away, not in the mood to talk, but of course, she refused to leave. "I thought you and Lucy were friends, what's got you so worked up?"

"Don't get me wrong," I answered, knowing there was no way she would leave me be until she was sure her comrades were on good terms, "I do consider her my friend, but..." the white-haired girl tilted her head, urging me to continue. "but she keeps trying to steal my precious Gray from me!" From the corner of my eye, I noticed the said ice mage patting the top of the blushing celestial wizard's head rather affectionately. Of course, I knew from their conversation he was simply trying to provoke his rival in one way or another, but all reason was currently getting lost in the swarming sea of jealousy running through me.

I heard Mira give a nervous laugh, which made me look up in surprise. "Here we go again. She already told you she doesn't like him, so why are you still persisting she's your 'Rival in Love'? You have nothing to worry about!"

"As if I'll believe that!" I snapped, feeling slightly guilty as I noted her fliching at the harshness in my tone. "She's just saying that so I'll let my guard down, then she'll steal him for herself when I least expect it!"

Mira sweatdropped at my antics, clearly not believing a word I said. "Trust me, I've known those two for quite a while now and I really don't think there's anything going on between them," she began before picking up a devious smile that, to be honest, scared me a little, "but, if you're still worried about those two, then... why don't you try to help her find someone else for her?"

"Find someone... for her?" I repeated dumbly as the sheer brilliance of the barmaid's words sunk in.

She nodded. "If Lucy was to get a boyfriend, then there'd be no chance of her and Gray getting together! And," she leaned in closer, a smug grin pulling at the she-devil's lips, "with Lucy distracted more often, I'm sure Gray will give you even more of his attention!" Of course I knew I would always have more of my beloved Gray's attention than Lucy, and it was obvious Mira already knew the same, but hell! The way she put it had me drunk on those words!

With one last glance over my shoulder, noting the way the half-naked man had his arm around my rival, I leaned across the bar.

"Who'll we try to set her up with first?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Lucy POV**

All I wanted to do was go home and take a nice bubble bath after a long day's work... But instead, I'm stuck in the middle of yet another heated argument between the stripper and the pyromaniac. And even worse, my normal savior was nowhere to be found. Knowing Erza, she was probably off eating cake somewhere, as usual. What did I do to deserve this? I'm a nice girl!

I wasn't even sure what their argument was about this time, nor did I care. I didn't even bother listening to what they were saying, until I heard my name.

"Besides, Lucy likes me better, flame-brain!"

"What? No way! I've known her longer, of course I mean more to her than you ever will, snow princess!"

"Wait a minute!" I finally snapped, having enough of their idiotic debate, "You two are fighting over who you think I like more?!"

Natsu grinned, something that I had learned to fear by now. It either meant an evil scheme forming in his single-tracked mind, or an impending comment that would most likely get him in some sort of trouble. "Well, it's not much of a fight! I mean, clearly, I already won! You like me way more than this loser, right, Luce?"

"Moron! That's not what I meant!"

"Oh, please!" I turned to look at Gray, who apparently decided to ignore my comment as he patted my head as if I was a dog. I could have sworn I felt someone glaring at me just then... "You just don't wanna look like a loser in front of the whole guild. You're just too embarrassed that I stole your best friend! Quit your babbling, it'll only make your defeat even more embarrassing when you realize she likes me a lot more than she ever liked you." He seemed to pause, contemplating his own words before a grin grew on his face. "On second thought, go ahead, embarrass yourself in front of everyone!"

"Guys, stop!-" Again, my attempts at preventing the argument from continuing were in vain.

"Cold-hearted bastard! As if anyone besides your mom could like YOU!"

"Aye!" Happy too?!

The ice mage smirked at the now pissed dragon slayer. "You're one to talk! Everyone knows beauty AND brains beats being a fire monkey any day, right blondie?" I suddenly felt a bit claustrophobic as he slung his arm around my shoulders, his cold skin brushing against mine a little too much for my liking. Again, I could have sworn someone was starring at me. Figuring it was just someone in the guild curious what today's brawl was about, I decided to brush it off.

Feeling goosebumps creeping up my arm at his icy touch, I shrugged Gray's arm off as quickly as I could. "Natsu! Gray! Stop!"

I finally seemed to catch their attention as they both turned to look at me, wide-eyed, as if they had only just realized I was there, despite their constant attempts at bringing me into the argument.

"I like you both, isn't that good enough? Now quit fighting!"

"No way, Luce!" The pinkette spoke up, "We know you like both of us, but we gotta know which one you like _more!_"

"Well, this is one debate I'm staying out of! I'm going home!" I stormed out, relieved that I was finally free from their incessant bickering.

"Hold up Lucy!"

"What do you want?" I snapped, already feeling my well deserved relaxation time was being wasted.

"Yeah, hold up! Can't you make dinner for us?" A certain Exceed pleaded, flying after us. "We don't got any food! Do you have any fish?"

"Pleaaase, Luce?" I couldn't help but glance back at the begging elemental mage, and let out a sigh of defeat.

"Alright, fine..." These two really knew how to get me to crack... Damn them, how do they keep doing it?! Then again, who could say no to-

"HA! HEAR THAT ICY-ASS, LUCY DOESN'T MAKE DINNER FOR YOU, DOES SHE!?"

"FORGET IT PYRO, GET LOST!"

"But Lucy-" Happy landed on my shoulder, eyes wide. A trick that was already rendered useless upon me. "What about by fish?"

"Go catch your own! I'm going home! Plue's waiting for me, and I'm sure he's even hungrier than you are." It was then that both of my teammate's stomach's decided to growl.

"Lucy!" Natsu begged, "We weren't kidding! We really don't have anything to eat! We haven't had a crumb all day!"

"Are you kidding me?!" I snapped back, "I bought you guys lunch on the way back, what do you mean you haven't eaten anything?! And that was really expensive by the way!" A low growling noise came from their stomachs again, and they kept looking at me with saddened eyes.

"Lucy, you're gonna let your own teammates starve? How cruel!"

Letting out one last sigh, I realized there was no way for me to get out of this one. "I'll have to stop by the market and pick up some fresh fish, but you guys are carrying the bags, got that?"

The two friends instantly perked up, especially the smaller one at the mention of fresh fish.

"Alright! What are we waiting for, come on, Happy!"

"H-Hey! Slow down! NATSU! GET BACK HERE!"

* * *

Well, I didn't get to spend an evening relaxing in the tub like I had planned, but at least I got a quick bath in.

I walked into my room, wearing nothing but my towel, expecting Natsu and Happy to have left already. What I found instead, didn't surprise me in the least. Natsu was curled up, dead asleep under the covers of my beloved bed, with Happy in his arms. Again. Being followed home and sharing my bed with the eccentric young dragon slayer, not to mention having to cook his meals for him, had almost become a daily habit. In fact, when I came home to an empty house- except for Plue of course, on Tuesdays to Fridays- I would even worry sometimes. Even if we were the same age, the pink-haired teenager made me feel like an overbearing mother sometimes. The very thought of having a handful such as Natsu as a child made me both laugh and shiver.

Deciding to let him sleep, I wandered over to my closet, picking out a suitable pajama outfit (including a top and bottom; night gowns had proven to be the start of some very awkward days), and went back to the bathroom to change, laughing at a pruned up Plue that had stayed in the water for too long. After I had gotten dressed and cleaned up the mess they had made on the table (they were very messy eaters after all, and apparently didn't know how to clean up after themselves), I lifted the sheets up, about to climb into bed when I heard him murmur something.

Leaning in closer, I tried to decipher his words. What was he saying?

"Gray..." I finally managed to understand. I sat up, frowning. Natsu was dreaming about Gray? For a moment I panicked, wondering if he had gotten sick somehow, until he continued. "your stupid... is contagious..." he muttered quietly before rolling over, leaving his back facing me. I laughed, slightly relieved that he wasn't having a pleasant dream about his rival, as strange as it sounds. Anything of the sorts would keep me up all night, worried about my teammate.

Satisfied with his lack of unconscious kindness (and correct grammar), I quickly slipped into a deep slumber, the gentle breathing of my best friend lulling me to sleep.

**Believe me, at this point, where she only thinks of him as a friend, it was so hard to to mention his hot breath on her neck as she leaned in to try to hear him and all that stuff, I was dying!**

**Anyways, like my friend Night Hawk pointed out, Juvia often speaks in third person, but that's only in the Japanese version. In the dub, there's a lot of voice actors I know and love from other shows, so I'm used to that, but I certainly wouldn't mind going back and rewriting the first chapter having her speak in third person and continuing it like that from now on. I really couldn't care less about that, so it's completely up to you guys. Should Juvia speak in third or first person?**

**And don't worry, they will start putting their plan into action in the next chapter! (And the boys (mainly Natsu, but Gray as well) will definitely get tortured in this, so you can rest peacefully knowing this story won't end with all their pride in tact!)**

**And school started today, so I will have much less time to work on writing this, and it definitely won't take only about two days to update, this is my special treat to you! XD**

**Thank you so so much to all my beloved reviewers! You mean so much to me! ;-; (So do those of you that added my story but didn't comment, just not quite as much) ;) (jk... maybe.)**


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